The contact owns a 2003 Kia Sorento. The contact experienced difficulty placing fuel in the vehicle. The fuel would not enter the tank and leaked out while the contact attempted to insert fuel. An independent mechanic stated that the vehicle needed a new canister filter, fuel cap, and filler pipe. The vehicle had not been repaired and the manufacturer had not been notified. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000. Updated 10/8/14 the consumer stated the manufacturer was contacted. The manufacturer stated the vehicle was out of warranty. The consumer was not notified of any recalls due to being the second owner. The vehicle was repaired at the owner's expense. Updated 3/24/2015

- Myrtle Beach, SC, USA

While pumping, the fuel spits back out from the tank. It is rather annoying as I lose money fueling and it takes forever to fuel. Normally when I reach about $15 in gas it begins regurgitating. This happens every time I attempt to fuel.

- Waipahu, HI, USA

The contact owns a 2003 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, the check engine light illuminated before the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also indicated that while refueling, fuel spilled from the filler neck. The manufacturer was notified. The failure mileage was 58,000.

- Bronx, NY, USA

My fuel pump was replaced in August 2013; not long after I began having fueling problems that have increased in severity. Any time I try to put gas in my tank, it explodes back out at me like a volcano erupting. I can't put gas in my car unless I let it trickle in and stop fueling in intervals...it takes about 30 minutes at least to fill my car. I'm tired of smelling like gas. This is dangerous and ridiculous and apparently a lot of other people have had this problem, yet Kia has done nothing. Something needs to be done by Kia to correct this issue. I took my vehicle to a Kia dealership and they weren't really sure what to do (lots of help there) and wanted to charge me about $2000 to try and figure it out (the same amount they charged me to replace my fuel pump). I'm tired of being ripped off....can't anyone do anything to help all of us consumers having this issue??

- Jacksonville, AR, USA

The car been a problem since first year, I called district manager for Kia back in 2004, told him car was skipping beat, and shaking...he told me is was my imagination...the 2nd big problem car would just start losing power in I-95 or fl.turnpike and come to stand still, no matter how much I pressed the gas pedal, no go, almost got in several accidents in I-95, Florida late at nite...spend $800 at Kia of kendall in Florida, in miami, told me was fuel problem...way back home that same day, car did same thing slowed down in rushing traffic in I-95 floirda, almost got deadly accident from car behind me, took it to Kia of ft.pierce, kept car 1 week, mechanic could not figure out problem, ...I found on line, problem was at the fueling entrance, something dissolved and particles went to fueling injectors, clogging it and causing problems, told mechanics, replaced this part, car got fixed....last incident, major one, back 3 years ago took car to Kia dealer, due to letter from Kia corporation, major recall on screw that hold harmoney blancer to lower engine case...they replaced it...1/9/2004.driving back from orlando, fl, at nite, car just slows down, shakes, battery light and brake lite come one...miracle, 1 hour I drove car slowly back home...Friday I take to shop, find out same recall, replaced screw, rusted off, sheared off, half of it still in engine, harmoney fell off, ..miracle I did not ger major fire in car, late at nite, on I95..took it fri.to ft.pierce Kia, mechanic said can not be repaired, need spend$79000on new engine...nothing was mentioned same screw, recall, they replaced back 3 years ago...car has history of my complaints to corporate Kia..nothing ever done.

- Port St.Lucie., FL, USA

The contact owns a 2003 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled without warning. In addition, fuel would spew from the filler neck when refueling and the interior lights would flicker on and off sporadically. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to have a diagnostic performed, who was unable to generate a failure code. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000 and the current mileage was 180,000.

- North Augusta, SC, USA

We have a 2003 Kia Sorento, and since November while pumping gas, fuel suddenly spews out -- like a soda can that had been shaken. Online we can find other 2003 Kia Sorentos also complaining about what's known as fuel spit-back.. the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigated over 100 complaints of spit-back on 2003 Kia Sorentos. Complaints allege that while refueling the vehicle, fuel can spill out or spit back from the fuel filler port on model year (my) 2003 Kia Sorento vehicles. Consumers report that the spilled fuel can splash on the person fueling the vehicle, or on the side of the vehicle and the ground. Just like ours. Then in January 2012, Kia's testing found that if the canister filter becomes significantly clogged, excess pressure can build up in the fuel tank and cause fuel to spit back from the filler port during refueling. To address the issue of fuel spit back during refueling, Kia conducted a service campaign of approximately 86,000 my 2003 and 2004 Kia Sorento vehicles. The campaign will provide a one-time replacement of the canister filter, at no cost to the owner -- this was done on our car on March 6, 2012. Before this service, there was no problem with fuel spit-back, now it happens every time we fuel up. The dealer wants to charge us to fix it, the company is of no help your Agency closed its investigation, but it seems you must reopen it. Again, we did not have the fuel spit-back problem until after the service!!!!!!!!!!!

- Amherst, NY, USA

I had owned the vehicle for a year when all of a sudden one day I was filling up with gas, had pumped less than a gallon when all of a sudden, the gas came shooting back out of the tank all over me, the car, the ground, everywhere. I tried more gas as I was almost on empty, & it happened over & over. Finally, I had to pull the nozzle most of the way out of the tank, & pump as slowly as possible. I learned that if I listened carefully, I could hear the gas approaching the top of the neck & if I was quick enough, could keep the "blow back" down to a trickle & only have it on the vehicle & the ground & not on me. My son refuses to drive it if it needs to be gassed up. It makes me very nervous to pump gas like this. What if there is a random spark? I noticed in 2005 (long before I purchased) there was some sort of fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings recall from www.motortrend.com/cars/2003/Kia/Sorento/recalls/ does that recall cover this issue? I read a lot of complaints from many people having this very same issue.

- Orlando, FL, USA

Each time we go to put fuel into the gas tank it flies back out. Sometimes as much as a foot or more out of the gas tank opening. This has gone on for more than a few months now. I understand that this has been an ongoing problems with Kia Sorentos around this year model with around the same amount of miles as ours.

- Bunker Hill, WV, USA

My first Kia was sportage 2000 with 165000 miles when I sold that vehicle, I have no complaints this was my reason to buy Kia again, I buy a Sorento 2003 no complaints only the 2 recalls from Kia is the only thing I have in this vehicle. But since the last year after 75000 miles I have this real problem for me with the gas spills, my situation today is not the same like its was five years ago....and spend above $500 fixing this problem who attribute at failure of design from Kia motors is beyond my budget. I have not idea how to fix this from Kia who I make them solely responsible of this defect. Somebody can tell me how I have to proceed to make accountable Kia in this matter??

- Miami Lakes, FL, USA

When I try to fill gasoline in my car, the pump will click off after filling about 1/2 gallon and will then spray gasoline back at me for the first 3-4 times it clicks off. I noticed a recall was done on this model for the fuel tank evaporator filter which is the issue. I had the recall performed but still have the issue.

- Bloomington, IL, USA

Fuel spewed back when filling at station.

- Wichita Falls, TX, USA

I was filling my gas tank up, and after about 2 gallons it spit back out at me going everywhere. I have taken it to many mechanics and they say they cannot find the problem, so basically I have had to continue dealing with this issue for 7 months or so. I have grown tired of it and decided to search the internet and found that many other people have been dealing with this issue also. I find that the gas spilling out everywhere is a safety hazard in many ways, but no one can seem to help me out. What should I do?

- Knoxville, TN, USA

The contact owns a 2003 Kia Sorento. While driving approximately 75 mph, the vehicle began to decelerate independently. The contact stopped the vehicle and replaced the fuel injector fluid but the failure continued intermittently. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnostics. The mechanic advised that the fuel injectors needed cleaning. After the fuel injectors were cleaned, the failure continued. The vehicle was previously included and repaired under NHTSA campaign id number: 05V353000 (fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings). After the recall repair, the contact experienced a fuel spill when refueling the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired the approximate failure mileage was 33,387.

- Miami Gardens , FL, USA